southern photographer

Lee & Dena

 

We had the chance to meet Lee & Dena back in May of 2023 and talk about this beautiful wedding day at the Lake Rabun Hotel in Lakemont, GA and how they wanted Spring mountains and greenery everywhere because of their love for nature and they wanted and intimate wedding day full of family. We also learned about how they met and some of Dena’s story as a single Mom and how he proposed to her in their living room keeping with the intimate theme. He likes fixing cars and they both love being outdoors and spending time with family which is all felt throughout the story and wedding day. We got the chance to meet up with them also the day we did some of our Christmas mini sessions at Padgett’s Farm and Morgan even got to hold their sweet baby Girl Delaney which then brings us to the wedding day itself.

The day started with our team showing up and meeting up with Kirsten, the planner and then making our way to the cabin to photograph details where the girls were getting ready. Once they were all dressed, we got them ready for the first look just down the hill. They shared their private vows and a sweet moment and from there we hopped straight into some of the family photos before heading to the ceremony/reception site and the Forest Lodge. Once there, they got to mingle with their guests and get everything set up for the ceremony. During the ceremony itself, they shared beautiful vows and used different colored sands in the sand ceremony to represent everyone in their family blending together and it was very cute seeing the kids take part. Afterwards, they shared a kiss and were announced as husband and wife before making their way back up the aisle. From there, everyone enjoyed cocktail hour and formals as the ceremony space was flipped into reception space and before long, it was time for the wedding party to line up and be announced in.

The reception was where Athens DJ Service got to shine and Cannon had the dance floor as full as it could be most of the time. Everyone was announced in and they went into their formal dances and then later cake cutting and toasts where a lot of the people they love gave heartfelt toasts. They shared more dances throughout the night and the dancefloor was opened and full which led to the end of the night with the sparkler exit outside of the Forest Lodge. We’re super happy to have been a part of Lee and Dena’s wedding and story and know that their family will have such a beautiful future together.

 

Vendors List

Photography - Beauty & Beard Photography @beautyandbeardphoto

Venue – Lake Rabun – Forest Lodge

Dress- Tiffinie Bleu Bridal

Rings – Windsor Jewelers

Invitations – Minted.com

Men’s Attire – Dillards

Florist & Caterer – Epting Events Su-Lin Timberman

Planner – Kristen Curles – White Fox Events

Hair & Makeup– Kaylee Rigdon

DJ/Band – Athens DJ Service

Cakes – Classic City Confections via Epting Events

Bartender – Lake Rabun Hotel and Restaurant

Chair Rentals – Lake Rabun Hotel and Restaurant

Other Décor Rentals – Epting Events

Any other vendors – Big Mountain Shuttles

Dakota & Dustie

 

Dustie & Dakota when we first met them back in October of 22, the more we talked, the more we understood and got attached to the beautiful life and story they have unfolding together. We learned about the sunrise proposal on the beach in St. Helena, SC as well as their dogs and enjoyment of golf as well as how they met through their friends. All of this led us to the wedding day at Pine Knoll Farms in Augusta, GA as our last wedding of 2023 and it was an absolute joy of a way to end out our year!

The wedding day itself at Pine Knoll started off with the team arriving and splitting off where the girls stayed with the girls to work on the details while the guys went with the guys and did some venue coverage as on the way. After some time had passed, everyone was pretty much ready and we needed to get the Groom in place for the first look where they shared a nice private moment while their wedding party watched through the windows at a distance. We then split off again into guys and girls to do group portraits and then bring them back together for the entire wedding party before doing couples portraits in other locations. The weather was overcast the entire day which meant that doing mid day portraits was limitless because everywhere had good light so, of course that was a great time and led us into preparing for the ceremony as well. The Chapel was full of beautiful greenery and made a perfect backdrop for their ceremony. During the ceremony they exchanged vows, rings and sealed it all with a kiss and ringing the bell on the way out of the chapel. Afterwards, we did some more of the formal photos and then made our way to the reception.

As they entered into the reception surrounded by the cheering of their friends and family, they prepared to go straight into their first dance, Father and Daughter then Mother and Son dances. They all had such beautiful moments and during the Father and Daughter dance, her sisters also joined in for a cute ending to the dance as well. Not to long after eating dinner, they also had toasts, cake cutting and some photos outside which included opening and shaking a bottle of champagne which was a ton of fun. Throughout the rest of the reception, everyone enjoyed dancing as couples and just in general which eventually led to the sparkler exit ending out an absolutely gorgeous wedding day. We’re so excited for Dustie & Dakota and know that the future has some beautiful things in store for them!

 

Vendors List

Photography - Beauty & Beard Photography @beautyandbeardphoto

Venue: Pine Knoll Farms

Bridesmaid dresses: David’s bridal 

Suits: Goldman and Wengrow’s, Lincolnton

Florals: Sweet Magnolias, Liz Spratlin 

Invitations: Zola 

Wedding dress: Elegant Bridals

Planners: Al & Ashley Danner

Caterer: Something so right Events

Cake: Cakes by Diana

DJ: Brandieth Carter

Hair/Makeup: Bombshell Creations

Officiant: Chad McKee

Brandon & Melissa

 

Brandon and Melissa, as we quickly found out, have big hearts and love their people deeply. We met them back in September of 22 and then we got to do their super fun engagement photos at the Columbia county fair! We learned a lot about them and their trips to New Orleans, LA which eventually brought us to their beautiful wedding day at Pine Knoll Farms!

The day started off with details and saying hey to everyone as well as all of the venue coverage for both photo and video and then that led us up to Melissa getting into her dress and then us setting up the first looks with both her Dad and then the Groom who both had big smiles on their faces once they saw her. We also setup a quick first look with the Bride’s siblings near the chapel before doing family photos which shortly after that, it was time for the ceremony. The ceremony had so many adorable moments like the flower Grandmother, a bunch of family crying as well as the tears of joy from Brandon as soon as he saw his soon to be Wife. They also tied the rope of three chords, shared personal vows and once everything was all said and done, kissed and made their way to ring the bell as Husband and Wife. This led straight into some couples portraits as the sun was going down and then we made our way to the reception so they could get the party started.

As the reception was kicked off with their entrance, everyone cheered and they started off with their first dance, the father and daughter then mother and son dances which has become some of our favorite moments here lately as we’ve become parents (it hits differently now). Everyone got to enjoy some delicious dinner and then Brandon and Melissa cut their wedding cake. Throughout the rest of the reception, they made their way around to all of the tables to make sure they got to see everyone, danced a ton, tossed the bouquet and garter, took a bunch of fun 360 photo booth videos, did some night time wedding party photos and a few other family portraits and then ended off the night with the sparkler exit into Brandon’s Jeep which was followed by more dancing since it was a fake exit and they came back.

 

Vendors List

Photography - Beauty & Beard Photography @beautyandbeardphoto

Venue: Pine Knoll Farms

Christian Covenant Catering (Pj Newkirk)- Dinner

Hair Essentials Myranda- Makeup

Hair- Tonesha Haymon

Wedding Coordinator- Mary Dant

Drop the Mic- DJ

Black Lotus Catering - Rehearsal Dinner